Shoe attachment



W. MITTLESTADT.

SHOE ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION-FILED AUG-1,1921.

1,411,642. Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

M a HR.

"will 6 I'm I! J HHWIM.

PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM MI'ITLESTADT, OF LUDINGTON, MICHIGAN.

SHOE ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922'.

Application filed August 1, 1921. Serial No. 488,809.

To all whom it may concern." 7

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM MrrrLn- STADT, citizen of the United States residing at Ludington, in the county of Mason and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for ready attachment to the shoes of mechanics and the like for the particular purpose of affording an additional support for the shank portion of the shoe and foot, as for instance when standing or working 011 a ladder, and the invention consists of the novel construction of the support or guard, and particularly of the construction for attaching the same to shoes of various sizes.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating the adjustability of the device.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures, in which:

1 indicates the support or guard, and 2 indicates a shoe having the usual heel 3, sole 4 and shank portion 5.

The device 1 includes the sheet metal portion 6, which conforms substantially to the shank portion 5 of the shoe, and which projects some distance under the sole 4; the device having avertical wall 7 substantially conforming to the front wall 8 of the heel 3; said wall 7 being preferably provided with two threaded perforations 9 to receive head ed screws 10.

Lying against the said wall 7, in rear thereof, are two substantially L shaped memhers 11, th two arms 12 of which are provided with slots 13 and 14:; the slots 13 receiving the headed screws 10, while the slots 14: receive similar headed screws 15, which are also threaded into the rear curved members 16; said members 16 being each pro vided with a lug 17 to receive a clamping wing-screw 18, which passes through one of the lugs and threads into the other so as to draw the said two curved members snugly together to clamp the device around the heel of a shoe.

Having thus described the several parts of the invention, its operation is as follows:

The L shaped members 10 are adjustable transversely of the heel so as to accommodate the dcvice to heels of varying widths, While the rear curved, members 16 are adjustable longitudinally of the heel so as to adapt the device to heels of varying lengths. These two adjustments bein accomplished by the slotted construction 0" the said members 10, as will be readily understood. When the device is properly adjusted to a heel, the wing-screw 18 is tightened, which draws the rear curved members 16 together in a clamping action around the heel 8. This causes the plate portion 6 to lie in proper position under the shank portion of the shoe and at the same time permits free movement of the foot portion of the shoe, as same is not restricted by clamps on the soles or other attachments thereto.

It will be noted that the heads of the headed screws 10, lying against the front wall 8 of the heel 3, slightly enter the leather or material of the said heel upon the clamping of the rear curved members 16, so that a tight and rigid connection is effected in such manner that the guard will not become loose and come off when strain is applied. thereto such as is imparted by the rungs of a ladder.

With this readily attachable device, the user can stand and work with comfort on a ladder, as th weight of the user is distrib-,

uted throughout the length of the plate portion 6, which relieves the arch of the foot from excessive strain.

Having thus described the invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction set forth, but consider myself clearly entitled to all such changes and modifications as fall within the limit and scope of the appended claims,

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An attachment for shoes of the character described, which includes a rigid member shaped substantially to conform to the shank of a shoe and having a vertical wall adapted to lie adjacent the front wall of the heel of a shoe, two substantially L shaped slotted members, one arm of each of said members lying against the said vertical wall of the said rigid member, headed fastenings for adjustably securing the L shaped members to the said rigid member, two curved members adjustably secured to the said L shaped members, and a clamping element for drawing the said curved members together to clamp the device around the heel of a shoe, the heads of the said headed fastening engaging the front wall of the heel of a shoe, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

2. An attachment for shoes of the character described, which includes a rigid member shaped substantially to conform to the shank of a shoe and having a verticalwall adapted to lie adjacent the front wall of the heel of a shoe, means attached to the saidvertical wall of the rigid member and adj ustable thereon in a direction transverselytto the heel of a shoe, and further means attached to the first mentioned means and adjustable thereon in a direction longitudinally of the heel of a shoe, 15

and a clamping elamentifor drawing the last mentioned means together to clamp the de vice around the heel of a shoe substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 20

WILLIAM MITTLESTADT.

In presence if-- C. F. OLMBTEAD, H. L. HASKELL, Geo. B; Woons. 

